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    How are you financing your films?

    To be clear, I am not talking about paid client work. I am interested in how people are financing their pet projects that don't have a clear payday in site.

    I would love to have a Red and be able to pay for professional actors and crew and I totally envy you folks who can and do. I am just interested in how the money aspect of what you are doing works.

    Are people financing their own films just out of love of the hobby and the art? Rich Uncle Harold, may his soul eternally rest in peace? Has the fancy equipment been bought in connection with a business and therefore not really part of the cost of your project?

    I totally understand that this tends toward a personal question so if you want to tell me to go pound sand, I will totally understand. No one is going to ruin my mood today as the Celtics won last night...

    #2
    I use my own money. I work on the side of being a full time student at a job I can do homework at (computer lab assistant) so that gives me free time and money to buy basic equipment (own a DV camera, 8' crane, basic sound stuff, hand-built dolly, and basic lighting/grip gear). Now I've been filming for a while and won a few thousand $ at film festivals so for my next film I'm hiring several professionals, a RED, and pro actors. Hopefully that'll turn out my best film yet and get into larger festivals (I never submitted my earlier films to big festivals because I already knew I wasn't professional enough and I choose to save my money and keep learning to make better films along with using better equipment).
    I invented the "remove echo" audio filter. And only people that boom their actors closely get to use it.

    Alex Donkle - Sound Designer -

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      #3
      For me...and I am a newbie...it was timing. The business I'm in allows me to purchase video equipment as an expense, that is, I use video in my products, so the gear is a write-off. I've spent so much over the years on video production that it is now time to test the waters. I've started with the DVX100b (most of what I do for work are talking heads, paramedic skills, nursing skills, stuff like that...I know BORING...but it pays the bills!).

      Now I haven't funded a film as of yet, but that's the plan in the near future as I hone my skills. The added benefit is that I can offer my services to local indi filmmakers or rent gear to local video houses to get some return on the investment.

      I'm also at a point in my life that I can play a bit...like I said, I'm just testing the waters.

      Go Celtics! (my daughter attends BU)

      sigpic


      www.zazacast.com

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        #4
        Originally posted by ZazaCast View Post
        Go Celtics! (my daughter attends BU)
        I like the cut of your jib...

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          #5
          ...speaking of jibs... I did just get a Kessler Crane and kpod...awesome!

          sigpic


          www.zazacast.com

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            #6
            I begged people I knew with money, told them I would give them credit, advertising, owe them a favor (I do commercials and videography) and that it would be a tax write off. I still had to put some of my own money in when disaster struck.

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              #7
              I'm a man whore.

















              Its gonna take a while to get the needed funds.

              Matt Gottshalk
              Director of Production
              BPI.tv

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                #8
                I wrote a business plan, approached someone who had invested a very small sum in a previous project (about 5K) and we discussed the terms. I demonstrated how movies are bought and sold, demonstrated my ability to make a quality film for a meager budget and agreed to:

                1.) make a short film first as proof I could deliver the goods
                2.) attended the AFM to find case studies for our film
                3.) redid my business plan based on these findings

                The short film got into 8 film festivals and won awards at 2 (and only 4 offered awards.) From there it was fairly easy to convince my investor to invest $120,000.00 and provide a secured loan of $40,000.00. The secured loan is secured with the tax rebate from New Mexico.

                That's how I raised 160K to make a feature film.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Borrowed 320K.

                  Next movie: Investors lined up. No more borrowing, no more of my own money.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Prodigi Pictures View Post
                    2.) attended the AFM to find case studies for our film
                    Hopefully more people can start to realize what a benefit it is to attend these events.


                    As for me, I have a side job consulting for various on-line businesses and I use that money to pay for rent, some food, and now my camera supplies.

                    My first project was comprised of renting a bunch of equipment, which was a bit of a downer for me. I'd rather have more equipment and serve as a producer and keep getting my names in credits (or potentially rent it out to people i trust) than rent.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Prodigi Pictures View Post
                      I wrote a business plan, approached someone who had invested a very small sum in a previous project (about 5K) and we discussed the terms. I demonstrated how movies are bought and sold, demonstrated my ability to make a quality film for a meager budget and agreed to:

                      1.) make a short film first as proof I could deliver the goods
                      2.) attended the AFM to find case studies for our film
                      3.) redid my business plan based on these findings

                      The short film got into 8 film festivals and won awards at 2 (and only 4 offered awards.) From there it was fairly easy to convince my investor to invest $120,000.00 and provide a secured loan of $40,000.00. The secured loan is secured with the tax rebate from New Mexico.

                      That's how I raised 160K to make a feature film.
                      Nice work, Prodogi : )
                      "Behind the shelter in the middle of a roundabout
                      A pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray
                      And though she feels as if she's in a play
                      She is anyway"

                      From "Penny Lane" by Lennon/McCartney

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by taormina View Post
                        Borrowed 320K.
                        I've read your entire thread on that movie and that's probably the most BA part about it.
                        I invented the "remove echo" audio filter. And only people that boom their actors closely get to use it.

                        Alex Donkle - Sound Designer -

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Matt Dunn View Post
                          To be clear, I am not talking about paid client work. I am interested in how people are financing their pet projects that don't have a clear payday in site.

                          I would love to have a Red and be able to pay for professional actors and crew and I totally envy you folks who can and do. I am just interested in how the money aspect of what you are doing works.

                          Are people financing their own films just out of love of the hobby and the art? Rich Uncle Harold, may his soul eternally rest in peace? Has the fancy equipment been bought in connection with a business and therefore not really part of the cost of your project?

                          I totally understand that this tends toward a personal question so if you want to tell me to go pound sand, I will totally understand. No one is going to ruin my mood today as the Celtics won last night...
                          I'm hopefully to finance future work through money I've already made in the film industry, so through corporate work, commercial work, music videos, etc. That's how I'm financing some of the reel work I'm doing this summer, because the project I'm doing now is a substantial sum of money to keep me going for a bit.

                          That aside, though, I invested a lot of money in this business so far, about $100,000, and yeah it was something like an uncle passing away, but worse. Also had enough money from other sources to pour some cash into film.

                          Going forward, I'd really like to be financing anything in film through money earned from film. So my first feature I'd like to shoot in a year and a half using the money I've earned in that time, hopefully it's enough, sort of a "double or nothing" plan.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Prodigi Pictures View Post
                            I wrote a business plan, approached someone who had invested a very small sum in a previous project (about 5K) and we discussed the terms. I demonstrated how movies are bought and sold, demonstrated my ability to make a quality film for a meager budget and agreed to:

                            1.) make a short film first as proof I could deliver the goods
                            2.) attended the AFM to find case studies for our film
                            3.) redid my business plan based on these findings

                            The short film got into 8 film festivals and won awards at 2 (and only 4 offered awards.) From there it was fairly easy to convince my investor to invest $120,000.00 and provide a secured loan of $40,000.00. The secured loan is secured with the tax rebate from New Mexico.

                            That's how I raised 160K to make a feature film.
                            nice...is the short online by any chance?


                            Comment


                              #15
                              I donate plasma...

                              gv.
                              No middle ground

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